Prove It
by kbecks41319
Summary: Set a year or so into the future, Castle finds himself exhausted with the game Beckett and him are playing. When he threatens to quit shadowing her, Beckett has a decision to make.
1. Chapter 1

**I'm not even sure where this came from. If there is any OOC-ness, that's all me. That goes for any mistakes because I don't use a beta.**

**I hope you all enjoy~**

**Remember, I own nothing Castle.**

* * *

"What do you want from me, Castle? It's not like you care who I do or don't marry!"

Beckett stomped her foot, feeling slightly like a hormone driven teenager. She didn't care though, she was tired of this game they had been playing. It was a very old game, having ran its course soon after it started. But still, they played it for six long years. Rain fell down on her as the puddle she stomped in rippled around her, her foot having disturbed it.

"I want nothing from you, nothing!" He slung his arms out in agitation as he pushed his soaking wet hair out of his eyes. He was drenched down to the bone, his clothes sticking to him in uncomfortable places.

"This game we're playing is getting old," she said with anger in her voice. The ring on her finger felt like it was suffocating her, strangling what little life she had in her and weighing her down. She didn't want it, she didn't want to get married, but she was stuck. She had played her own game this long and now she couldn't get out.

"This game we're playing? Please! I stopped playing a long time ago, Kate. I laid the cards out for you. I gave you options. It's not my fault you ran away. You're so good at that - running away." He let out a heavy breath as he stepped away from her approaching figure. "Just go. He'll be waiting."

She shook her head as she continued to advance on him, backing him up against the water fountain. She watched as he almost stumbled into the water but quickly held his ground. Everything was spinning. Nothing was making sense. Nothing had made sense since she had told him no over a year ago.

How was she supposed to take all of it in though? She had been in a relationship and she had kissed him - all in kissed him, holding nothing back. And then they had almost died together.. She didn't care that it was a year ago, she still felt the words she almost spoke to him on her lips. He had knew. She knew he did. But he had never said anything and she had thrown herself into her relationship again.

She had convinced Josh to come home when he could and then they had both promised to put more effort into them. He had stopped going on the out of country missions and she had stopped drowning herself in her job - consequently keeping her away from Castle. It wasn't her fault. He waited too long.

"I didn't wait too long," he told her suddenly as if he could read her mind.

And he could. He always had been able to.

"I would have chased after you forever, Kate, but you decided this. You told him yes." His voice broke as she stood inches away from him, clouding his thoughts. "You could've said no."

"No, I couldn't have!" She practically yelled this at him as she wiped away the hair that clung to her cheeks. "I basically made him stop his life for me, to help me put mine back together after that fiasco with the bomb.. I couldn't turn him away with a simple thanks. He deserves more than that."

He gave her a hard look as she stepped closer, his eyes studying every move she made. "Does he deserve someone who's in love with someone else?"

Her tongue practically curled backwards in her mouth, stopping any retort that may or may not have been about to come out. She just stared at him as the world around them continued on, as if this moment - their moment - wasn't happening at all. Just a blimp on the map. To her, though, it was her whole map.

"You can pretend to love him all you want and maybe at one point you had convinced yourself you did but you don't, Kate. You and I, and every one else that comes around us, knows that you're with the wrong man." Castle shook his head as he broke their eye contact, glancing around. "If this is what you want, fine. So be it, but don't come chasing after me and then try to lie to my face. I'm done."

Her world crumbled to her feet, suffocating her as the reality of his words shook her to the bone. She stared at him blankly, as if he had just spoken in some other language that she had never even heard of. He couldn't possibly mean what she thought he did, he couldn't - not after all this time.

"Yo-you're done?" Her words trembled out of her lips, her eyes full of fear as she tried to catch his eyes.

"I'm done. I quit. I give up. You win." He looked at her now, sucking the breath out of her when the tears showed in his eyes. "The fourth book will be done soon, I have no reason to follow you anymore."

"No.. no reason?" Her brain refused to connect the words that he had spoken so clearly, refused to acknowledge what this meant for them - for her. No more shadowing her? No more constantly being around and lightening her mood? No more pulling her pigtails? She closed her eyes tightly and shook her head, refusing to believe it. "You can't do that," she barely whispered.

"I can't sit around and watch you be with someone else either, Kate. I can't keep killing myself for you." He wanted to reach out, to hold her. He wanted to take back what he had said about quitting. But he couldn't, he knew that. He had to do this, for him and for his family who watched him suffer everyday.

"You can't. You can't." She shook her head, the words coming out a whisper as she threw herself forward to him and clung onto his wet jacket. Tears were streaming down her face now, mixing with the rain. "Rick, you can't leave me."

"Kate," he sighed in exhaustion as he tried to step back away from her again. As much as it broke his heart, they were simply running in circles again and he hated that. Placing his hands over hers, he unclenched them from his shirt and pulled them away. "I never wanted to hurt you and I still don't but this.. this game, you called it, has to end. If it doesn't, we'll start hating each other."

She continued to shake her head, clinging onto his hands - she refused to let him go. "I'll leave him. I'll call the engagement off. Please, Rick, you can't do this."

His heart leapt into his throat as he looked down into her eyes, trying to tell if this was just panic speaking. He wanted to believe her, he so desperately did.. But he couldn't take that chance. He pried his hands from hers, stepping to the side.

"If you want me to stay.. You'll have to prove it." He leaned forward long enough to kiss her forehead. "I'll see you in the morning.

With that, she watched as he walked away. Her heart was racing as her body convulsed with sobs, bringing her to her knees. She wrapped her arms around her middle, not caring as her forehead touched the wet sidewalk. She couldn't believe that this had happened, she couldn't even begin to imagine life without him. As her cries got louder, so did the storm that surrounded her.


	2. Chapter 2

**This chapter feels a little forced. I'm not sure if I like it. Let me know what you think?**

**I do not own Castle. Any mistakes are my own.**

* * *

She was soaking wet from her head to her toes, which she could no longer feel. She was freezing, her lips blue and her skin pale. Shaking, she banged on the door in front of her repeatedly with a force she didn't know her body still had - a force that shook the door in the frame.

"Lanie!" She yelled loudly, her voice hoarse from her breakdown. Continuing to bang on the door, she almost punched her friend in the face when the door swung open.

"Whoa, girl." Lanie grabbed her hand in midair, keeping hold of it as she took in the detective's disheveled appearance. "Why are you drenched and what is wrong?"

Kate wanted to cry, she wanted to break down in the medical examiner's arms and she wanted to let everything that was wrong out in liquid form from her eyes.. But the tears wouldn't come again, they wouldn't fall. She had cried herself dry. Instead she opted for the next best thing - throwing herself into Lanie's arms and letting herself collapse.

With a quiet grunt, the shorter woman held onto her friend as she backed them into her apartment and closed the door. Kate knew this was going on but she didn't care. The emotions swirling inside of her were tearing at everything she had, chipping off bits and pieces as time continued. Silently she allowed Lanie to direct her to a kitchen chair before she watched her disappear for a moment, only to return with a towel.

Merely nodding in thanks, she took the towel and wiped her face before letting it pile in her lap. She had no desire to dry herself off, no desire to lose this cold numb feeling that had taken hold of her. Her eyes focused on Lanie's as she sat in front of her, reaching out to take her hands.

"Kate, what happened?"

"He's leaving," she replied blankly. She couldn't say his name, she couldn't think it.

"Josh?" Lanie's voice was confused, her eyebrows creasing.

She quickly shook her head no, her eyes jumping from object to object now. Her mind was quickly working to think of alternate conversations, anything else but this. Even though it was the reason she was there, she couldn't bring herself to mention it.

It took a few moments before it dawned on Lanie, her mouth forming a small 'o' as her eyes widened a bit. She frowned and squeezed Kate's hand, trying to find the best words to say.

"You knew he couldn't follow you forever, honey."

"I won't see him anymore."

"I'm sure you will still meet and have coffee sometim-"

"He's mad at me," she said lamely, her eyes flashing with fear before shaking her head. "No.. Not mad. Upset. Disappointed."

"About Josh?" Lanie questioned her carefully, knowing just how bad this conversation could get and just how fast. When she only received a nod, the medical examiner resisted the urge to sigh. "What did he say?"

Kate almost flinched as the memory repeated itself for what seemed like the hundredth time that night as she bit her lower lip, her eyes dropping to her lap.

"He said he had no reason to follow me anymore." Her voice was removed of all emotion as she blocked it out like she had learned to do with her mother's murder. "Said he couldn't watch me be with someone else. That I was just running, I always run.."

Her voice drifted off as she watched him walk away again, her heart breaking once more as she flinched from Lanie's touch.

"You ran, Katie. You know you did." Her friend's voice was no longer soft but stern, trying to get her message across. "He was willing to jump and you weren't. You let him keep getting closer and then you just left him high and dry. You're engaged to another man - one you're only with because you feel obligated. You couldn't have expected him to stick around and watch you do this to yourself."

"He can't leave me, Lanie." Her voice trembled as she shook her head. "I've watched him walk away once before, I can't do it again - not knowing that this time it's forever."

"Then stop him," she spoke quietly now. "Do what you know is right. Stop following your brain and let your heart take over for a while. He's more than willing to catch you, Kate."

"What about Josh?"

"Motorcycle boy?" Lanie rolled her eyes as she leaned back in her chair. "He'll be alright. Probably jump on the next mission out of the country. Poor boy has been itching to do what he does best."

Regret flashed through the detective's eyes, knowing that she had stopped him from doing the most favorite part of his job. She hadn't noticed it at first but over time she had realized he was becoming miserable, forcing himself to seem alright for her. It wasn't right and she knew that. Sighing, she rubbed her forehead as she stood from the chair.

"I'll call you later to let you know that I'm okay." Her voice was tight, anxiety building inside of her as she realized what she needed to do.

Lanie stood up now as well, walking with Kate to the door in silence. They both knew that it would only take one wrong word for her to change her mind, for her to continue running the opposite way. That couldn't happen.

"Come back if you need to, I won't be going to bed until I hear from you."

A smile was forced as she opened the door and stepped out, not exactly ready to get back into the rain. The numb feeling was welcomed but the clothes rubbing against her was not.

"I'll call," she promised before walking down the hallway, heading for the stairwell to blow off some nerves.


	3. Chapter 3

**Shorter than the first two chapters, but this just flowed out freely and I didn't want to force anything else.**

**As usual, I don't own Castle.**

* * *

She's not entirely sure why but she doesn't take a cab, rather enjoying the way the rain feels against her skin as she slowly walks through the city. Tomorrow she'll probably be so sick she will hate herself for this - tonight she doesn't care.

After walking for ten minutes she arrives at the hospital, knowing that Josh is working a double shift. It feels wrong, finding him at work and doing this but she knows she has to. She has to make this right, she has to get the ring off her finger and their stuff out of each other's apartments. She doesn't want to completely remove him from her life but she knows that they won't be able to stay friends, not after what she's about to do.

"Hey, Kate." It's Lily, the ER receptionist that sees her first and takes in her appearance, her eyes creasing with worry instantly. "Are you okay? Should I page Josh?"

Guilt pools in her stomach as she hears the sincere worry in the girl's voice, knowing that she doesn't know what she's about to get them all into. With a slight nod, she finds herself collapsing in the closest chair she can find as she listens to Lily paging Josh.

She's ceased trying to figure out how to word what she needed to say, finding that she rather go on instinct and just let the words flow freely. It's only then that she realizes that the ring isn't on her finger anymore, but rather curled into the palm of her hand. Her eyes stare at the simple silver band, numbness ruling out any other feeling that she may have felt any other time.

"Katie, sweetie." His to her side in an instant as she squeezes her eyes shut, she's always hated how he's called her that. Katie. That was what her mom had called her. She couldn't blame him though, he still didn't know. Without warning, the words started spilling out of her mouth.

"My mom was murdered."

Confusion flashes across his face as he takes in her words, lips turning down into a frown. "You told me it was an accident."

"I didn't want to tell you," she started slowly. "And over time it was just easier not to talk about it."

"I'm glad you told me, but what does this have-"

"I'm not finished, just.. Hear me out." She offers him a weak smile as she stares back down at the hand that's clutching onto the ring. "She was murdered and they never caught the guy. We still haven't caught the guy." Her voice catches for a moment before she pushes on. "We've been together for over two years and I never told you."

"Katie, it's ok-"

"No, it's not. I never told you and we're engaged but.. I told Castle after only knowing him for a little while." She looks up in time to see the hurt pass through his eyes before he quickly brushes it away. "Castle knows not to call me Katie because it reminds me of my mom, he knows when to push my buttons and when not to. Hell, he knows me better than I know myself half the time."

Her leg starts to twitch and she pushes herself out of her seat, pacing in front of the man still sitting where she had left him. Her hand is still firmly clenched around the ring and she feels like it's burning a hole into the palm of her hand. Glancing around them, she shakes her head before holding her hand out for him. When he lifts his own to meet hers, she opens her clenched fist and watches as the ring falls from her hand.

And with it, the weight hanging around her neck strangling her falls as well.

"I'm so sorry, Josh. I thought we could make this work, I thought that whatever I may or may not have felt for Castle would go away. I willed it to go away, I stopped hanging around him so much, I threw everything I had into this relationship.."

"But it's him," he stated for her quietly as he looked up at her with hurt etched into his face.

"The heart wants what the heart wants," she responded with a softness in her voice that he - nor she, for that matter - had ever heard before.

She stepped back as he stood up, her eyes moving to linger on the floor as she readied for the yelling or the argument to get her to stay. Instead she felt his finger underneath her chin as he forced her eyes to meet his, a weak smile on his lips.

"He's your one and done."

She nods her head and the tears are back, slipping down her face as she watches him accept it in his own way. He pulls her into a hug, wrapping his large arms around her smaller body. A kiss is placed to her temple before she feels lips next to her ear.

"Let him make you happy, Kate. Let him make you happy like you never let me. You deserve that."

He's pulling back now and she realizes the tears have stopped and her heart isn't pounding in her chest like she had expected it to be. Instead she feels a relatively new calm as she nods and watches him walk away, leaving her standing there.

She's not sure how long she stands there before she starts to feel the eyes of someone on her and she turns to find Lily staring at her with a sort of shy smile. Without a second thought she turns on her heels and leaves, walking back out into the storm that continued to war on outside.


	4. Chapter 4

**As always, I do not own Castle and reviews are greatly appreciated.**

**Also: didn't mean to cut it off like this, but it was getting rather long.**

* * *

"Detective Beckett, lovely to see you this evening. Should I call up and let Mr. Castle know you are coming?"

The doorman, Hank, smiles gently at her before getting a good look at her causing his eyes to squint with worry. She knows she looks like death walking but she doesn't want to deal with any more awkward questions. Shaking her head she gives him a small smile as she steps inside, talking over her shoulder.

"I'm looking for the element of surprise here, Hank, but thanks for asking."

He simply nods as he watches her head through the lobby of the building, concern still written on his face as the door closes and he's left to wait. For once Kate was glad that Castle had insisted on putting her on his visitor's list. She knew it would have taken a bit more convincing for Hank to let her in if he hadn't.

As she realizes just how close to Castle she is, she feels the anxiety building inside of her as her eyes jump around the room before she steps into the empty elevator. She's never been this afraid in her life and at the moment she wants nothing more than to find a nice rock and crawl underneath it. Licking her suddenly dry lips, she pushes the button for Castle's floor before she can run and leans back against the wall.

Her eyes flutter close and she takes this moment to absorb the reality of everything she is about to do - everything that she's about to turn upside down. Her heart does a little flip as she realizes that she just doesn't care. Not if it means keeping her partner. It's then that the elevator signals her arrival and her eyes fly open as she pushes herself away from the wall, heading out into the hallway.

She finds his apartment with ease, having been there more times than it should be acceptable for just being partners. Not caring that her hair is matted down on her head or that her clothes are clinging to her and rubbing her raw in some places, she raises her arm and knocks on the door.

It only takes a moment before the door is swinging open and Richard Castle's surprised eyes are on her. "Beckett? What are you doing here?"

She watches as it hits him that she's still drenching wet and starting to shiver, his eyes flashing with worry as he steps to the side to let her in - earlier events momentarily forgotten.

"Are you insane? Have you been in the rain this whole time?"

Concern laces his angry words as she numbly walks in, looking around to find the living room empty and most of the lights dimmed. She figures Alexis is asleep or out - home for Spring Break from her first year of college. Knowing that he had asked questions, she shakes her head.

"I went to see Lanie," she mumbles quietly. "And Josh."

She holds her now ring-free hand up for him to see, noticing his eyes flying open with hope before he shuts himself down again. As he quietly closes the door, he studies her for a moment before disappearing from sight.

"Castle," she sighs and moves to follow him when he appears again, holding out a towel for her. "Oh. Thanks."

She takes the towel from him and wraps it around her shoulders, knowing that he'll want to make her warmer and won't take no for an answer like Lanie had. His eyes are burning into her as she fidgets with the edge of the towel, her own eyes taking comfort in the rug that she was standing on.

"What are you doing here, Kate?"

His voice is soft and nearly breaks her heart as her eyes jumps to his, reading the hurt and hope fighting to come to surface. It just confirms that she did the right thing, that she hadn't risked it all for the wrong man.

"You can't leave," she tells him simply.

"Kate," he sighs as he shifts from one foot to the other. "It's not like I want to leave. Do you honestly think I want to give up shadowing the woman I love? Or that I want to give up seeing you everyday? Or the guys for that matter? I enjoy coming to the precinct, helping you solve the cases and making a difference."

After the four letter word jumps out and grabs her by the heart, she hears nothing else of his little speech. Her chest tightens as those damn tears that had betrayed her all night threaten once again to fall, her breath catching in her throat. It's those emotions that send the next eight words flying out of her mouth before she can stop them.

"You are my one and done, not Josh."

He looks like he's been socked in the gut as his mouth hangs open and he struggles for words to say, obviously not having been expecting that. He continues to stare at her like this, the need to run becoming stronger inside of her as she itches to open the door. As if he can sense this, a delighted grin comes to his lips as he finally steps forward and crosses his way into her personal space again.

The smile is on her lips before she can force it down, welcoming the intrusion of her space as he reaches out and takes her hands into his own. He's staring at her again and her insides are melting into a pile of mush as the love and warmth radiate from him. How she had pushed him away, pushed this away, for so long she wasn't sure but she was glad that she had realized that this - this moment, this man, this feeling - was what she wanted.

She goes to open her mouth but suddenly she finds herself being crushed against his chest, the towel falling from her shoulder and their lips finding each other as if they did this all the time. It takes but a moment for the shock to wear off and she wraps her arms around his neck, trying to pull herself even closer.

The room is tilting around her as his tongue runs along her bottom lip causing her to close her eyes, opening her mouth to give him entrance. She can feel his right hand on her lower back as the other keeps her close by the nape of her neck, his warm tongue assaulting her own.

It becomes a fight for dominance as she pushes herself up on her tiptoes, her fingers curling in his hair to keep him right there with her. Neither wanting, or caring, for oxygen they reluctantly pull back with their eyes closed and their breathing hurried.

"Oh my god! Finally! Yes! Oh my god! I've gotta call Grams."

The excited shrieks from the stairs have them both turning to look at the young redhead, a blush coming to Kate's cheeks as she realizes they had just been caught. She moves to push herself away from Castle but finds that he's holding her in place with his arm that is firmly wrapped around her. As the teen notices they are both looking at her now, her eyes widen and she jumps up from her viewing point.

"Oh! Oh, hi. Pretend like I'm not even here! I'm going back to my room. I think I'll study a little bit and listen to my iPod - very loudly."

She gives them both a huge grin as she turns quickly and heads back to her room, her excited squeals flowing down the hallway after her. It's not until they hear her door shut behind her that Castle turns to Kate, a huge grin on his lips.

"Well, there goes her vote."

Kate can't help the laugh that bubbles from her lips now as she turns to her partner, still trapped against him by his arm. She can't help the silly grin on her lips as she buries her face in his shoulder, realizing only a couple minutes too late that she's drenched his clothes. Biting her lip, she pulls back slightly to look up at him.

"I got you wet."

She watches as his eyes light up, his retort on the tip of his tongue before she covers his mouth and shakes her head slightly - she had walked right into the one.

"Don't even," she warns him with her detective voice.

"No fun," he mumbles from behind her hand before she drops it. "How about we get into some dry clothes?"

"Can I wear that red shirt again? It was comfortable."

He grins and removes his arm from around her, only to take her hand in his and lead her through the loft to his room. Once there he releases her hand to rummage through his dresser for a minute before pulling out the red shirt and a pair of sweats.

"You can take the bathroom," he nods his head towards the open door before turning back to his dresser, obviously looking for something to change into himself.

She quickly heads for the bathroom, closing the door behind her before placing the clothes on the rack standing behind the door. Realizing only now just how cold she is, she quickly steps out of her shoes and strips the wet clothes off of her before looking around. Finding what she's looking for, she grabs one of his huge towels and wraps it around her for a moment. Closing her eyes, she leans against the wall and lets everything rush over her.

After a few moments of forcing herself to breathe in and out slowly, she pushes herself back up straight and dries herself off. Carefully placing the towel next to the clothes, she pulls the shirt to her first as a smile comes to her lips. Not being able to resist, she brings the shirt up to her face and allows her eyes to close once more as she takes a deep breath.

It smells like him - that simple masculine scent that is so Richard Castle.

The goose bumps all over her body rule out her need to stand there like this any longer so she pulls the shirt over her head before quickly shimmying into the sweats that he gave her, rolling the waist twice. Grabbing the towel from the rack, she starts drying her hair as she opens the bathroom door and steps back into his bedroom.

Their eyes immediately find each other, speaking words that neither of them dared to voice at the moment. They both knew that they would need to talk about everything, this didn't fix everything that they - or more correctly, she - had been putting off for the past year or so. But for now, they were content to just be with each other. It takes her a minute to realize he's wearing the same thing that she is, except his shirt is a dark green.

"You're gorgeous," he tells her quietly as he crosses the room to her side.

"I look like a drowned rat," she laughs to herself as he wraps his arms around her waist.

"An adorable drowned rat, nonetheless."

She rolls her eyes at his comment as she gives up on drying her hair anymore, tossing the towel to the side as something hits her.

"Oh, crap. Can I borrow your phone? Mine's still at the precinct and I promised Lanie I would call her and let her know I was alright."

"Yeah, sure. It's downstairs. I was in the middle of setting up a movie when you showed up."

"What movie?" She asks as they start for the living room, his hand finding hers once again.

"Lilo and Stitch."

She could practically feel his grin as she rolls her eyes at him again, staring down at the floor as they make their way through his loft.

"And you wonder why I call you a nine-year-old all the time."

"Hey! Lilo and Stitch is a quality movie with very good lessons to be learned. Don't knock it."

"Uh huh. Just accept that you're secretly a nine-year-old."

"If I'm a nine-year-old, that makes you a pedophile."

She reaches up quickly to twist his ear, grinning with satisfaction as she hears him squealing while dancing around on the spot.

"Apples, apples, apples! You're not a pedophile!"

Satisfied, she lets go of his ear as she scans the living room and her eyes land on his cell phone laying on the coffee table. Slipping her hand out of his, she crosses the short distance and grabs the phone before plopping down on the couch. As she's dialing Lanie's number, he takes the phone from her and drops down beside her with a mischievous grin on his lips.

"Do you trust me?"

She eyes him suspiciously for a moment before nodding, "Of course."

Suddenly she's surrounded by Castle again as his lips crash against hers and she allows her eyes to close without a second thought, her arms easily finding their way around his neck. His hand that's not holding his phone rests on the small of her back as she feels his lips turn up into a grin. Pulling back from him, she looks up at his eyes to find the smile still there.

"What?"

He shakes his head quickly and she watches as he messes with his phone for a minute, moving slightly when she tries to see what he's doing. Debating on grabbing his ear again, she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth before deciding against it. A few quiet moments pass before he puts the phone down on the table in front of them and he turns to her, his face still full of mischievousness.

"There. Lanie knows you're perfectly fine."

Her eyebrow hitches up, her lips pulling together into a tight line. "Castle, what did you do?"

Before he can reply his phone starts to ring, the child-like grin growing even bigger on his face. He picks it up before holding it out to her.

"I believe that's for you."


	5. Chapter 5

**I think this will be my last chapter for this story.. I may, at some point, do a sequel in the future that will be mostly pure fluff!**

**I do not own Castle.**

* * *

"_There. Lanie knows you're perfectly fine."_

_Her eyebrow hitches up, her lips pulling together into a tight line. "Castle, what did you do?"_

_Before he can reply his phone starts to ring, the child-like grin growing even bigger on his face. He picks it up before holding it out to her._

"_I believe that's for you."_

"Hello?"

"Oh. My. God! Girl, please tell me you've let that man take you to bed already because if not, hot damn, I will take him."

Lanie's excited voice on the other end of the phone has her rolling her eyes as she gives Castle a look that tells him she is going to kill him. She can't help the smile that comes to her lips, though, as she leans back into the couch while twirling her hair.

"Lanie, breathe." She smirks before dropping her gaze to the floor. "Also, I don't think Javi would appreciate your enthusiasm at jumping Castle."

"Javi-smavi. Do you remember page 105? Because, let me tell you, I sure the hell do. Seriously, please tell me that the video I just received was post sex kisses."

"You sent her a video?" Her voice squeaks as her eyes turn suddenly to the man beside her, burning with anger and something he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"You wanted to let her know you were fine.. I was just showing her how fine you were."

The smirk on his lips has her rolling her eyes as she nudges him with her foot, ignoring him completely as he captures both of her legs and pulls them onto his lap. She directs her attention back to the phone where her impatient friend is sighing heavily.

"Lanie, you know I love you and I will tell you everything." She pauses for a minute as his hands start to massage her feet, her eyes slipping close as a quiet moan escapes her lips. "Tomorrow. I will tell you everything tomorrow."

"You're damn straight you will tell me everything tomorrow. I swear, Katherine Beckett, if I have to come find you I will. I know where that man lives. I will hunt you down. Hunt. Yo-"

Kate hurriedly hits the end button on his phone, dropping it to the floor in surprise when he pushes down on a pressure point causing her to wiggle farther down into the couch. Because her eyes are closed she doesn't see the smirk that comes to his lips as he realizes she's off the phone, nor does she realize what he's doing as he dances his fingers along the soles of her feet.

It's a moment too late that she does realize what he's doing, her body wiggling against the couch as laughter explodes from her lips.

"Castle, stop!" Her breathing is heavy as she tries to kick her feet loose from his grasp, only to have him start tickling her harder. "Rick!"

His hands still immediately at his first name as his eyes snap to hers, surprise written all over his face. She hardly ever uses his first name and she knows it's not fair to use it against him now. Holding her sides, she manages to wiggle herself up into a sitting position to look at him.

"I can not believe you sent her a video of us making out on the couch," she's out of breath as she speaks, her cheeks a deep red.

He gives her a look that says 'are-you-serious' as he hooks his arm around her knees, pulling her onto his lap. She grins as her arms snake around his neck, holding herself there as his arms go around her waist.

"Okay, actually, I can." After a moment pause, she gets a horrified look on her face. "You better hope she doesn't send that to Esposito. We will never hear the end of it at work tomorrow because you know he will show Ryan."

"You seem to have forgotten one thing," he says quite seriously with that grin on his lips. "Jenny."

Her eyebrows knit together in confusion for a moment before realization dawns on her and she's burying her face in his neck, the blush on her cheek hitting again with full force. Seven months ago at Jenny and Ryan's wedding, Lanie and the bride had bonded over one too many drinks and had become the thickest of thieves quickly. The medical examiner was sure to share this new found news with her partner in crime.

"That video will be all over the precinct by the time we go in." At that moment her mind seems to catch up with her and she pulls away to look at him seriously, her stomach turning with nerves. "You are going back to work with me, right?"

"Well.." His eyes brighten as he thinks of something, his lips turning up in a devious smile. "Only if I can kiss you there."

She squints her eyes at him, poking his chest hard as she sits up straighter. "No kissing me at work."

"Kaaaaate," he stretches her name out, whining as his bottom lip pokes out.

"Fine," she rolls her eyes and leans in to brush her lips against his briefly. "One kiss a day. And only if no one is around."

"What about the boys?"

"Only if they already know." His eyes light up again and she pokes his chest harder. "And you can't tell them."

At this moment his phone starts ringing again, this time chiming the tone for a text message. Only it's not one text, it's three back-to-back. Glaring at him suspiciously, she leans back and stretches to grab the phone from the floor. His hand darts to her exposed stomach, only to have her slap his hand away a moment later as she sits back up.

"Behave, Mr. Castle, or I will have to arrest you."

"Oooh, handcuffs."

His eyes light up again but she simply ignores him as she unlocks his phone with ease and opens the first text message. She reads the text quickly before thumping him hard on the chest, holding the phone out for him to see.

_**Finally, writer-monkey! I was worried I'd have to lock you two in the cleaning closet again.**_

"Well, if Esposito knows.." Castle says questioningly, nodding for her to open the next one. Which she does, quickly reading before holding the phone out for him again.

_**Jen and I both agree, FINALLY!**_

"I wonder who got their video first, Ryan or Jenny."

"If Jenny got hers first, Ryan would be complaining," Kate says as she brings the phone back to her and opens the last one, laughter bubbling from her lips as she hands the phone over to Castle.

_**Richard, finally! You better treat her right or I'll disown you. Alexis agrees. See you Tuesday.**_

"You've already replaced me in my own family," Castle pouts as he tosses his phone to the empty couch cushion beside them.

"Don't worry, I think all it would take for your mom to allow you back in is an all expense paid shopping trip."

"And Alexis?"

"I'll put in a good word," she teases as she stands up and grabs his hand, pulling him up with her.

"I don't think that's comfort enough."

She rolls her eyes as she leans up on her tiptoes and her lips press against his for a chaste kiss before she pulls back and starts for his bedroom again, pulling him behind her.

"Come on, _writer-monkey, _I think I know a way to make it up to you."

She can hear him suck in a deep breath behind her causing the laughter to escape from her lips again, a surprise squeal coming from her as he quickly moves behind her and wraps his arms around her waist - effectively picking her up off the ground. His lips find purchase on her neck as she closes her eyes for only a moment, opening them to watch where they were going.

"If you drop me, Castle, you're dead."

"I would never dream of it, Detective."


End file.
